


With a Little Help from My Friend

by icandrawamoth



Category: Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon, Psychologists & Psychiatrists, Therapy, adult Lilo, mention of divorce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:33:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21843739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: A grown-up Lilo, with the help of Stitch, uses her experiences to help others.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 109
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	With a Little Help from My Friend

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GlowsInTheDark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlowsInTheDark/gifts).



> One of the things you suggested was coming of age/Lilo deciding what she wants to do with her life, and this is more her already having decided, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. <3
> 
> Many thanks for aphorisnt for the very last-minute beta.

Stitch growls and mutters darkly from his place beneath Lilo's desk. She doesn't like keeping him in the kennel any more than he likes being there, but it's necessary for the first meeting with a new client.

“Hush,” she tells him, raising an eyebrow. “Or I'll close the door, too.”

The blue alien, currently in his form most closely reminiscent of an Earth dog, glares up at her.

“Don't give me that face. You know how this works, and I know you want to be here.”

Stitch glares for another moment before sighing dramatically, turning around on his cushion, dropping down, and curling up into a ball. A corner of Lilo's mouth twitches up, but before she can say anything more, there's a soft knock at the door to her office.

She looks up, and the door opens to reveal her secretary, Keola, and a young girl Lilo knows to be five years old. The same age she was herself when her life changed so drastically.

“Hello, Maleah,” Lilo says gently. “It's nice to see you again.” It's only the second time they've met, after the initial consultation with the girl and her mother, but it's important for Lilo to make her feel welcome and cared for. Not least of all because she is.

The girl looks shyly between Lilo and Keola, and the secretary smiles down at her. “Come to my desk and I'll give you a treat after,” she promises before gently nudging Maleah into the room and closing the door behind her.

Wide brown eyes turn to Lilo, who smiles again as she gets up from the desk. “You seemed interested in these last time you were here,” she says, gesturing to the shelf of toys on one side of the room. “You can play with whatever you like while we talk.” 

Maleah looks dubiously at Lilo as if she's not sure she's really allowed, then walks over to the shelf and considers for a few moments before picking up a pair of dolls and carrying them over.

“We can sit right here,” Lilo tell her, taking a spot on the rug and gesturing Maleah down beside her. “I like dolls too.” She points to a shelf behind the desk. “That's Scrump. I made her when I was your age.”

“You made her?” Maleah echoes in wonder.

“Yep. I needed a friend, so I made one.” Lilo retrieves the doll, brushing a hand over her fondly. Scrump has been through a lot over the years, been repaired many, many times, but Lilo loves her as fiercely as she ever did. Swallowing a sort of childish protectiveness, she holds her out to Maleah, smiling encouragingly as the girl takes her. “We were hardly ever apart. I took her everywhere. She was my friend when no one else was.”

Maleah looks thoughtful at that. She hands Scrump back after a moment and returns to her place on the carpet and the other dolls.

Lilo puts Scrump back on the shelf and rejoins her. As she does, a shuffling noise comes from under the desk, and the girl whips her head toward the source of the sound before looking to Lilo with wide eyes.

“It's all right. Can I ask you some questions while you play?”

Maleah looks down at the dolls in her hands and nods reluctantly.

“Have you talked to your dad lately?”

“He calls sometimes,” Maleah says softly as she walks one doll across the carpet. “Mommy doesn't want to let him talk to me. She yells at him a lot.”

Lilo knows the divorce has been hard on the entire family, that Maleah's mother has reasons, and good ones, to be angry at her ex-husband, but their child doesn't need to know them. “How do you feel when that happens?”

Maleah pauses, biting her tiny lip. “I don't like when they fight.”

“It isn't fun to hear other people fight,” Lilo agrees. “What do you do when that happens?”

Maleah stares at the doll in her hand without answering.

Lilo considers how to draw her out, thinking back to her own experiences. “When I was little, when I didn't like what was going on around me, I would hide,” Lilo tells the little girl. “I thought the best spot was inside the dryer, but my big sister always found me.”

“I hide, too,” Maleah admits. “Usually in my closet. Sometimes it takes Mommy a long time to find me. Then she's more worried than mad at Daddy.”

“And worried feels better than mad?”

Maleah nods.

There's another sound from beneath the desk, and Maleah stares intently. “What _is_ that?” the little girl asks anxiously.

Lilo just manages to not roll her eyes at Stitch’s antics. She isn't quite ready for this part yet, but he’s restless today, and she supposes now is just about as good a time as any. “Do you like dogs, Maleah?”

The girl nods eagerly. “I want one really bad, but Mommy says we're not allowed.”

“Well, you can play with one while you're here at least Would you like that?”

“Really?” Maleah asks excitedly. “I can?”

“Yep. Stitch?”

More shuffling and rustling, and then Stitch appears from around the side of the desk, ambling toward them on all fours.

Maleah's mouth drops open. “A blue doggy!”

“He's a very special doggy,” Lilo agrees. “He's been my best friend for a long time, and he's always there when I'm sad or angry or need someone to talk to. Now he's here for you too.”

Stitch plops himself down next to Maleah and blinks up at her with his huge eyes. Maleah considers him uncertainly for a few moments before grinning and declaring, “He's cute!” She scratches him on the head, and Stitch rumbles appreciatively.

Lilo smiles as she watches them. She's had a few clients who were scared of dogs that she either never brought Stitch out for or never did again after the first time, but most are much more relaxed around him. There's much to be said for the calming presence of an animal – though these children will never know that's not exactly what Stitch is.

For a while, she lets them just play together. Maleah rubs Stitch's belly and ears, and when she asks if he has any toys Lilo offers her a ball so they can play fetch. (Stitch will never admit how much he enjoys the game, insisting that he only does it for the benefit of the children, but Lilo knows the truth.)

Once Maleah is fully relaxed, Lilo starts in again, asking her about school and whether she's getting into fights or having any trouble concentrating. The answers are mostly reassuring. She's sad and confused about what's going on between her parents, but for the most part she seems to be adjusting. She isn't acting out or withdrawing more than is normal for her situation, and her support system is strong. She has friends at school, teachers who care, and her mother is bringing her here, after all. She's much better off than some of Lilo's other clients. Much better off than Lilo was during that formative time of her life, though she knows Nani did her best with the resources she had.

Maleah spends the next half hour petting and playing with Stitch while talking to Lilo about her life until the session draws to a close. “All right, Maleah,” Lilo says gently, getting the girl’s attention, “that’s all the time we have for today, but we can talk more next week. Did you like meeting Stitch? I know he was happy to meet you.”

Maleah nods, smiling as she flicks her gaze down to Stitch and then looks back at Lilo. “Will I get to play with him again?”

“Of course. And he’ll look forward to it too. You did very well today, Maleah.”

The girl smiles, and Lilo is happy to see her far more comfortable than when she first entered the room. The girl gives Stitch one last pet before he returns to his kennel at a gesture from Lilo. Lilo stands and walks the Maleah to the door. “Don't forget to get your treat on the way out.”

Maleah's eyes gleam at the idea. She'd probably forgotten that promise. Lilo smiles after her as she skips off to claim her reward.

Closing the door, Lilo returns to her desk, rolling her eyes as she pushes Stitch from the chair he's claimed, ignoring his hiss of displeasure. “You did well, too, Stitch. You always do.”

He preens. He's so proud of himself in fact, he seems to not have any trouble trooping back into his kennel and flopping down to immediately start snoring.

Lilo can't help but giggle. Apparently being so helpful was also very tiring for the little angel.


End file.
